Improvement in trunks



'0. GUNSEL.

Trunks.

No. 217,613 Patented July15,1879.

Jihad: a I 5091 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoE.

CHARLES euNsEL, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

lM PROVEMENT IN TRUNKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,613, dated July 15, 1879; application filed May 3,

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, CHARLES GI'iNSEL, of the city of Newark and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Traveling-Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of trunks which are construct ed with a hinged or falling front to afford access to the interior; and consists, first, in providing the front corners of the trunk with tongues and grooves to strengthen the joint, and to exclude dust and moisture; and, secondly, in the means adopted to secure the front of the trunk in its place when the lid is raised.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a trunk embodying my improvements; and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, showing the catches more fully that secure the front to the ends.

A is the lid of the trunk, N are the ends, and D the front, hinged to the bottom of the trunk by hinges E.

M is the tray, fastened between the ends N to brace them firmly. F are drawers arranged in the body of the trunk, and O is a band secured upon the border of the lid to cover the joint between the lid and body.

K are the tongues, applied to the inside of the front, and they are constructed and arranged to fit into grooves L, formed in the ends of the trunk at the front corners, whereby the joints at the corners of the trunk are greatly strengthened, and the access of dust andrrain entirely prevented.

The tongues K may be made of wood or metal, and be secured to the front D in any suitable manner; and the front is also shown provided with sockets H at its ends, Which fit corresponding tenons secured to the ends of the trunk, and aid in guidingthe front to its place as it is closed.

Spring-catches of the usual construction are shown attached to the lid A and front D at I J; but as neither these catches nor the band 0 serve to keep the front up when the lid Ais opened, I provide spring-catches B upon the ends of the trunk at the upper corner, and construct them so that they will engage with the notched plates 0, secured to the upper corners of the front, when the same is closed, as shown in Fig. 2. These catches serve to prevent thefront from falling down when the lid of the trunk is raised for access to the upper part, and are readily disengaged by pressing upon the top of the catch B in the ends N.

By means of the variousdevices described I secure great strength in the front corners of the trunk, with entire convenience in use, and complete safeguard against the penetration of dirt at the corners.

Having thus described my invention, I desire to claim the same in the following manner:

1. In a trunk, the combination of the ends F. W. Broom), FR. GiiNsEL. 

